


Buying Time

by Two_Spirit



Series: Self-Inflicted: Leonard McCoy Drabbles [2]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Doctor Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Hurt Jim, M/M, Protective Leonard "Bones" McCoy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:34:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25622974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Two_Spirit/pseuds/Two_Spirit
Summary: Drabble that was originally written as a gift for another writer. McKirk-centric. Just another standard, run-of-the-mill planetside mission that ends in disaster.
Relationships: James T. Kirk/Leonard "Bones" McCoy
Series: Self-Inflicted: Leonard McCoy Drabbles [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1857331
Comments: 1
Kudos: 13





	Buying Time

They hadn't expected the ambush on Miriuan Prime. The planet’s people were made up of peaceful, tree-dwelling tribes that had welcomed the Enterprise crew with universal greetings and gifts of goodwill. Leonard even _liked_ them, with their unique biology and serene tree-top homes. He'd spent the last six hours of their visit staring around him in open wonderment, bemusedly questioning whether they hadn't somehow stumbled into a **Tolkien novel.**

( More fool, him. He should have known it was too good to be true. )

Negotiations hit an unexpected bump. A security officer (one of Giotto's team) spoke out of turn to the warriors of the tribe, a misunderstanding that went from bad to _worse_. The tension nearly reached a breaking point before Kirk tactfully suggested they all step back and reconvene on the planet's next solar day. The council seemed to breathe a sigh of relief at such diplomacy, but Jim (and by extension, McCoy) had seen how the protector-sect leader grit his teeth in ill-controlled fury. The slight wasn't likely to be **forgotten.**

"I can fix this, Bones." Jim said, clapping him on the shoulder with the same confidence he reserved for anything that seemed hopeless. Leonard had rolled his eyes, but he hadn't tried contradict the Captain. He knew more than anyone that, given time, Jim Kirk could charm _anyone_ into playing nice. 

( Which is, of course, when time ran out and then everything went to **hell**. )

Warriors swarmed the landing party just moments before reaching the transporter rendezvous site. Something about it seemed impulsive, **chaotic** , and McCoy seriously doubted that the council leaders had condoned this act of aggression against Federation officers. Not that it _mattered_ , in the moment. Their security detail fought like soldiers, but the odds were against them from the outset. They were able only to buy the rest of the crew time to flee into the towering cliff face bordering the tribe's forest home, before being slaughtered by the warriors' strange bio-luminescent spears. 

_They deserved better._ Christ, McCoy hadn't even had time to administer emergency first aid, ease their pain, before being driven into the maze-work of caves where the landing party was currently taking cover. The only good news was that the rest of the crew seemed to be relatively unscathed. Except.... 

" ** _\---Jim._** " Leonard said the Captain's name like a curse, muttered low and desperate in the oppressively humid darkness of the cave. A wound sat like a banner on Kirk's chest, the younger man not fast enough to avoid a slicing cut across the clavicle from those lethally sharp spears. It's not fatal, not on its own, but there's something in the metal (something that gave it that glowing effect, Leonard theorized) that's trying to _unmake_ Kirk's molecular structure. 

And they're trapped. In a **goddamned cave.**

"...ok... alright.... " Sweat crawled down the back of McCoy's neck, dampening the collar of his uniform. He's been adjusting the readings on his medical tricorder for the last ten minutes, having already sealed the wound as much as he dares without making sure what might be _in it._ The compounds coursing through Jim's bloodstream, slowly infiltrating his DNA, are bewildering the tricorder's sensors. Len keeps having to make adjustments based on his own ancillary knowledge. Nearing desperation, the doctor dialed up a chemical cocktail that stretches the capabilities of his field medical kit, and administered it via hypo in Jim's undamaged shoulder. He drew in another haggard breath as some of the Captain’s vitals finally leveled out.

For the moment, he's stabilized. **_For the Moment._**

Like a puppet cut from its strings, Leonard collapsed down to lean against the rough rockwall within the cave. He gathered Jim against his chest, buffering him as much as possible from the discomfort of their surroundings. They’ll need to find a way back to their transport, and soon. More than that, they need _options._

"....I'm buying us time here, Jim.." Bones murmured, his lips pressed to the side of the younger man's temple. He gently sifted his fingers through Kirk's sweat-stiffened hair, brushing it back from the captain's brow in a slow, soothing motion. "...but I'm gonna get you out of here. **_I promise."_**

_ I promise. _


End file.
